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31 Inspired Days of Nail Art – Day 10 : Gradient Nails

Gradient Nails: you are my mortal enemy. It doesn’t matter how many tutorials I watch or how many tips people give me, I just can’t get this technique down. I’ve used a bout a million different type of sponges, and I’ve never been able to achieve the beautiful results I’ve seen on other blogs. I was fearing this challenge day because I hadn’t attempted a gradient mani in a long time so I wasn’t looking forward to yet another nail fail.

I started out with two coats of Serenity.

I love Serenity! This polish is one of their new Rubber Brights so it dries to a satin/rubber finish.

And here is my gradient……………………………..

I don’t hate this, but I don’t like it either. I don’t know what happened when I tried to photograph this, but my camera took a million dumps on me and did not want to photograph Muse. What the heck, Sony Cyber-Shot?! These were the best pictures of maybe 50…yes, 50! So anyway, I used Muse on my gradient tip which doesn’t really look like a gradient but whatever. At least I tried, and if you think it’s ugly, tweet me a picture of your gradient so I can mock it too. 😛 The next challenge revolves around half-moons which is pretty hard to mess up so at least I won’t worry about it.

Anywho, don’t forget to check out all of the other submissions for gradient nails below. Let us know what you think.

This is actually one technique that I actually kind of figured out, which is weird coz I can never get anything right lol. What are u using to to it? I use a make up sponge and have learned not to paint directly onto it. I use a plate and dab it onto the sponge. And I always use my base coat on the sponge as well 🙂

I have used a make up sponge before, and it looked worse than this. lol I never paint directly onto my sponge and do what you said. I have tried a lot of sponges, and the one that has given me the best (and I use the term best very loosely) has been those yellow/foamy bathroom sponges. I guess I just need to keep practicing if I really want to get this technique down.

These are cool! Not the smoothest gradient but definitely cool and the colors look good, although not exactly how I thought they’d look like from what you told me last night. I think I looked up the wrong color. Anyway- it’s good. Take a chill pill ;pNicole recently posted..Day 10- Gradient Nails!!

Meh. You know how I have always felt about gradients: they are lovely but I can never do one to my satisfaction. This and watermarbling are really getting on my freaking nerves. I’m going to try watermarbling again now that it’s not so freaking hot.Cynthia recently posted..31 Inspired Days of Nail Art – Day 10 : Gradient Nails

You know what? I LOVE IT! So SUCK ON THAT! Illamasqua gradient FTW!
SERENITY, I LOVE YOU! I will have your babies. Man, I need to get that polish, like, yesterday.
“…but my camera took a million dumps on me and did not want to photograph Muse. What the heck, Sony Cyber-Shot?!” LOL!

I don’t remember if I mentioned this or not in my original post about Serenity, but it’s actually kinda watery and thin. It’s not really a problematic polish, but the formula wasn’t as amazing as my other Illamasquas. I am thinking that maybe it’s just the rubber brights formula because I had the same issue with Nurture. Btw, did you see the new color: Noble? DROOOL. I think it’s pretty close to Serenity but in a glossy finish so it will probably be more opaque. They call it a Robin’s Egg blue. I want it bad. Hey, did you know that Sephora is supposedly having their Friend’s and Family sale later in the month so…stock up time is coming!Cynthia recently posted..31 Inspired Days of Nail Art – Day 10 : Gradient Nails